


Save Them

by ladyinquinnsitor



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Family, Fear, Heartbreak, Love, Near Death, Spirits, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-27
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-15 12:36:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3447440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyinquinnsitor/pseuds/ladyinquinnsitor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Inquisition forces are attacked outside of Skyhold, Cole's unusual abilities become a valuable lifeline for Commander Cullen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Save Them

“Again!” The Commander shouted at the rag tag army scattered before him. It was midday and the sun beat down on the courtyard with unrelenting fury. It pulled at their focus. The men and women were tired, they had run this drill a hundred times today and their growing discomfort was palpable. But Cullen vowed that he would fall on his own sword before he let Corypheus, neigh, any one, take Skyhold from them. His gaze was stern as he looked across their once eager faces. Some carried a level of precision, it was true; mostly ex-templars, a few scattered chevaliers, but for the most part they were as children, a fact that weighed heavily upon him. Each of them had entrusted him with their lives. He watched as they fumbled, throwing their weight in every which direction, hacking with unruly steel.

“Your blade works with twofold purpose, it can take life while preserving your own.” He demonstrated a swift lunge. “Simmons, loosen your grasp, if you tense you won't be able to react properly. Cowan, raise your head, your peripherals must always be searching. Now, the shields in your hand; they can stun, they can charge and they are just as vital as any sword! Block with them! I know we are all hot and fatigued, but we will be fighting across scorching deserts, through torrential downpours and everything in between. The elements are yet one more enemy at our backs, we must be prepared for anything! Change partners and run it again!” The Commander sighed as he paced the frontline, making his assessment. “Better, Lysenia! Give it everything you've got! Don't let me catch a single one of you off your guard!” Cullen felt his stomach churn. He knew that despite all he could teach them, he could not guarantee that it would be enough when the time came. 

The sound of wood and steel clashing through the yard came to a screeching halt as the signal horn began to blast from the ramparts. Everyone's attention turned to the entry gates. That sound meant only one thing, soldiers were returning... and there were casualties. He felt the ground disappear beneath him, the Inquisitor's troop had just departed that morning, it was far too soon for a homecoming. It could be anyone. Leliana always had agents on scouting missions and he himself had soldiers out on various projects.

“What is everyone looking at? If this were battle you would all be dead! Back to work,” he scolded, slowly creeping his way around the assembly. He needed to get to the gate, now! “Cassandra,” he called to the Seeker. “Can you take over? I'll return as soon as I can.”

“Of course Commander!” Her eyes flashed wide with fear, every one had someone to lose, she was no exception. He watched the terror drain from her face as she collected herself and nodded, “Go.”

“Thank you...” he said tensely, trying his best to give her a smile, “I owe you.”

“I know.” 

His steps quickened as he moved toward the front passage. He made it just in time to see a pale faced Sera burst through the threshold, her forehead swathed with blood, though he could not tell to whom it belonged. 

“Sera! _Sera... what happened_?” His words were more biting then he had intended.

“It all went bugger up!” She wailed. “They knew what we were up to, I didn't see, I should have seen... shit, shit piss bucket, FUCK!” Her hand rubbed her brow frantically. 

“Who? _Who_ knew? Where is everyone else?”

“The men with the awful hats, how did they know?”

“The Venatori? You were ambushed by the Venatori?” 

She nodded. “Bloody cocksuckers!!”

“Is anyone hurt? Are you ok, it looks like you're bleeding?”

"I promised I'd never let any one hurt her.... I protect my friends, right... this is,” she broke down on his shoulder. He had never been close with Sera, while they had all grown accustomed to her shenanigans, he had never taken the chance to get to know her. She liked to play it tough, to hide behind a mask of indifference and sarcasm, but he always felt like he could see through the veil she wore. It was much easier to detect a front when he wore a mask of his own, always working to bury the pain. But her wall had been ripped open now, she was afraid and she could not hide it. She rubbed her eyes and smacked his chest with her fist.

“No, no, no, this is all rubbish! It's all wrong. I can't do this!! ” Shaking her head, she ran off across the courtyard.

_Maker_! He had gone numb with panic, he wanted to scream, to punch a hole through the next thing that moved, but it took all he had just to move a step forward. He felt his knees begin to wobble as Solas appeared down the way, his robes tattered, elbow bandaged in a makeshift sling.

“Commander, we must call a medic. I did what I could, but I am not well versed in the art of healing. I fear she needs immediate medical attention. Is there a surgeon nearby?”

Cullen's thoughts were buried in a deep black haze, he felt his eyes begin to burn. “Solas, I believe... yes. She should be...”

“Thank you friend. I will go ahead, you should stay to meet them,” the elf grabbed his arm and gave him a firm squeeze before making his way toward the courtyard. 

_This can't be happening_. It was his worst fear come to life. The earth had begun to spin faster, like he might be flung off into space at any moment. He had to remind himself to take each and every breath, body refusing to function until he forced it into submission. It was biological mutiny. Sierra, Lavellan's mount broke through the horizon with a squeal. Squinting in their direction, he could see Cole running alongside the Inquisitor's agitated hart. It appeared there was someone draped on top of the beast, Cole was holding the lifeless body tightly by the hand. Cullen watched his love's fiery auburn hair sway as they made their way toward him. The air that had been building in his lungs rushed out violently through clenched teeth.

“She is growing quiet. They're whispers now. We must save them!” Cole said rushing past him. “Commander, we must go!”

He stood frozen in place until something inside of him snapped. Knowing too much time had been wasted already he went sprinting after them. He grabbed her wrist, Quinn's fleeting pulse beat against his palm. _Andraste preserve me._ He kissed the back of her hand and rubbed his cheek against her abnormally pale skin. “I'm here love, you cannot leave me, please, I beg of you. I'll be at your side... always.” 

A cot was waiting readily as they turned toward the makeshift hospital. He wished bitterly that they had upgraded their medical facilities, but they had instead poured their resources into the training yard. _Idiot!_ That had been done at his counsel. He would never forgive himself if she did not wake.

“Commander!” 

Cullen turned to see Leliana rushing toward them. The whole of Skyhold had assembled to watch the excitement, he could hear the gasps shooting through the crowd. 

“How is she?” His fellow advisor asked running alongside them.

“I don't... we don't know.. she's alive. For now...” He replied in a daze.

“How did this happen?”

“I find myself asking the same question. Sera said they were ambushed. Now _spy master_ , tell me how the Venatori would know of our comings and goings so close to home. Is there a snake in your camp?” The accusation shot like acid from his mouth.

She grew quiet, her eyes narrowed. “If there is, they will be dealt with swiftly and with no quarter. No one will be safe.”

“And if she dies Leliana? This is on your hands.” He watched her porcelain skin flush and her hands turn to menacing fists, eyes drifting toward the ground. He did not mean to be so cruel to his friend. He was angry at the world, at himself, but he knew part of him may never forgive her if it were found to be true. 

“I'll take care of my people, you take care of the Inquisitor.” She turned and made her way toward the stairs.

“Cullen,” we need to get her inside Solas beckoned. They worked together to lift her off the mount. 

“Everyone, I'll need you to step back,” the Doctor demanded. “You two, bring her.”

Cole began to squirm frantically. “Fighting, lights fade, pain, she's never felt pain before. She needs help, I can help! Please.”

The Commander couldn't make sense of the spirit's words, but he felt compelled to let him come. The thought of his only true love in pain sent shockwaves through his body. Anything, he would do anything to make her better. “Alright Cole,” he said sharply.

“Are you sure that's wise? I can't have all 3 of you in there,” the Doctor interjected.

“Take Cole. It is his purpose, let him help. I fear there is nothing more for me to do,” Solas replied. 

They nodded, exchanging control of the cot's handles and followed the Doctor inside the clinic. Cullen winced as he looked her over... the light of his life lay broken and bloodied, her body peppered with fresh glistening wounds. He caressed her forehead, his eyes stung as he choked back the tears continually trying to breach the surface. 

“Numerous lacerations,” the medic said, lifting Lavellan's limbs to get a better overview. She cut the clothes from her patient's torso. “Deep puncture near her left lung, possible organ damage.” The physician gently pried his love's eyes open as she moved a candle to and fro, “pupils are dilated, I'm getting no response from external stimulation, indicating a severe concussion. The Inquisitor is in pretty rough shape, I will do all I can.” Her gaze met his for a second, sad and determined.

“Come back to me,” he whispered brushing the hair away from her eyes, followed by a lingering kiss upon her forehead.

“Commander, please, you can have seat right over there. I am going to have to operate to see if the assailant missed her lung... or if it's more serious. Either way we must stop the bleeding.”

Cullen nodded and slid down the wall behind them, collapsing onto the floor. He watched as she and her assistant began to administer an array of poultices and injections, continuing to undress her like some crude science experiment. It killed him to see her unresponsive. _Does she even know I'm here?_

“Yes.” Cole said. The unusually somber spirit materialized by his side. “Warm, inviting, a voice from the other side of the abyss, sweet and refreshing like a summer's breeze, she reaches toward it.” 

“Can you help her?”

“I can quiet the pain, it lingers, sometimes it escapes. But I will try.”

“That is all I can ask.” He buried his face in his hands, hoping Cole's words were true; that she was fighting her way back to him.

“She doesn't want to die before she has lived. She misses the woman's voice, why has the voice stopped? But the man is here, he brings her comfort. He will protect them, he always protects them. Don't sleep, can't sleep, we must help her.”

“Do not worry my friend, I could never sleep, not like this. I'll be right here.”

“Not you. _Them._ ”

“Them? Cole, it's just us. Do you mean the Doctors? They are doing everything they can.” _Why does he keep saying that. He speaks in riddles, my brain hurts too much to make heads or tails of it._

“No, the little voice. I didn't hear it before, but it calls out now, it wants to live! I want to help her, I told her she has friends here, that we love her very much.”

“Cole! What are you going on about, there is no-,” he trailed off as his tired mind began to connect the dots. 

“Yes, that's right. She knows you. She hears you breathe against their chest in the night, she feels their pulse skip when your voice comes into focus, you make her smile.”

“Are you saying, that Quinn... that there is something inside? Are you saying... do we have... a _daughter_?” He turned and shook the boy firmly, out of his mind with grief and overwhelmed by the thought. “You knew? Is that what you are saying? How long? Why did you never tell us??? How could you know and not tell us?”

“I could not hear the voice before. I can only help the hurt, it doesn't work all the time. She needed me, that's when I knew. Me alone. She is strong.” Cole smiled for a moment before his eyes glazed over. “Storm rising, never thought he'd be a father, he is empty without her. Always thought the poison would break him, that he was no longer truly a man. He did not know it was possible to love anything more than her, but he does.”

“The lyrium... I thought maybe it would. I didn't know anyone cou- . We have... a _baby_?” His mouth caught on the word as the sobbing started deep within him, it ripped at his stomach and convulsed through his chest, tears began to pour down his face. 

_Maker, if you are there, I will do anything, take me instead, but you must let them live. I have been given more chances in my miserable life than I rightfully deserve and experienced more happiness these past few months than I knew possible... because of her. She is Andraste come again. She can change this world. I beg you, do not rob the people of this woman. If there is any grace left on this forsaken rock, save them, save my daughter. I cannot endure this. It should be me..._

“Doctor, Doctor wait!!” He called from across the room, “she is with child.”

The medic paused briefly before turning to him, “You tell me now?” She grunted. “That just makes it all the more urgent that we get her fixed up, the best thing for baby is a healthy mother.” She returned to her work, with renewed urgency.

He wondered if anyone had ever felt so helpless as he.

“She wanted you to know that it was you who made _her_ better. When she woke up in Haven she was confused, scared. You gave her strength. She fought for you above all else. Her heart ached that you could not see yourself as she does. Red, panting, sweat pours from her body, she's more alive with you inside her. She tried to hide that one, but she could not push it down, it consumed her before she fell asleep.”

Cullen felt his skin ablaze at the thought of their passionate nights together, embarrassed that they now shared them with another.

“I won't tell Commander, she made me promise, those nights are sacred.”

A smirk breached his lips for the first time that day. He reflected on Cole's words. She truly believed that he had bettered her. The idea was so preposterous that he laughed under his breath at first, then louder, before bursting out into a full chuckle. He grabbed Cole's shoulder. 

The spirit smiled, “she makes us all better. I told her that.”

“Thank you Cole," he said appreciatively. If there was one thing she needed to know it was the love they all shared for her. “Does she have any idea? Did you tell her of the baby... had she kept it from me?” He thought back over the past few months, remembering her stomach troubles. _How could I have been so blind?_ She had always attributed those issues to the stress she was under, said it had been happening since the Temple of Sacred Ashes. He hated seeing her so anxious, he had tried his best to help her relax. At one point he had asked her to seek treatment, but she just shrugged him off and told him that she would... next time she got a chance. That was three weeks ago. 

“No. No secrets. I thought it would hurt more than help to tell her now. I told myself I would help her forgot if anything should happen...”

Cullen flinched at the thought. Would Cole make him forget as well? Would that be a bad thing? His heart was torn. All he could do was hope that it would not come to that. They sat with bated breath as the hours passed. Cullen got up occasionally to pace the room, rubbing his knuckles anxiously against his palms as he moved across the floor. Sera stopped by to apologize for her behavior, he assured her that he too had acted rather irrationally that day. Then he thanked her for bringing the Inquisitor back alive and embraced her in a deep bear hug. Her spirits were still low but she left feeling better. He requested that the ever diplomatic Josephine stay by the door to handle visitors when he could not find the strength, she graciously said she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

\- - -

Light danced through the windows as the sun rose against the morning sky. A gentle nudge shook Cullen awake from his well fought slumber. 

“Commander,” the woman's voice whispered. “I didn't want to wake you, you had a long night and you'll need your strength if you're going to be her caretaker. We've finished. She's stable, it appears that the internal bleeding has stopped. Her pupils were much more responsive on our last check. We've done all we can, it's on her now. I will say, if there was any one I would hedge my bets on, it's the Inquisitor.”

“That's wonderful news.” He hugged her firmly. “And... the baby?”

She paused. “This wont be the answer you're looking for... but I'm not sure. It's possible she's just too early along for me to hear a strong heart beat. I'm no midwife and this falls out of my area of expertise. I treat wounds, work in triage situations. I promise I will pull some strings and get someone here who knows more than I as soon as possible.” She reached out and placed a hand on his forearm.

“Thank you Doctor, we can never repay you for all you have done for us.” She was right, it was not the answer he was hoping for, but it meant there was a chance.

“If you need anything, anything at all, just shout. We will be a stone's throw away. For now just let her rest, fate will take it from here.”

Cullen nodded and watched as she exited the room. He looked over to the cot. Color had crept back through Quinn's cheeks, the rise and fall of her chest had returned, a sigh of a relief washed over him. _You did it darling, you made it through the night._ He saw Cole hovering over her from the rafters, he was grateful the spirit had stayed with her while he himself had dozed off. He was ashamed that he hadn't fought harder to stay awake. 

“Cullen. Cull- - Cullen,” Lavellan beckoned. Though faint, the tiny voice filled his ears like a symphony. 

“My love! I'm here.” He rushed to her side as if his own life depended upon it. “You were so brave my dear. I thought I'd lost you, you fought your way back.” He placed one hand tenderly on her stomach and watched as Cole appeared next to them. 

“She's smiling! Both voices have returned. He did it, he always protects us, she knew he'd bring them back.”

“She's _alive_...!” Cullen didn't know he could possibly have any tears left, but he felt them pooling at the corner of his eye. _Maker, I am not worthy of this miracle._

“Of course I'm alive... you can't get rid of me that easily. Wha-,” she coughed, squeezing his hand tight, wincing from the pain. “ - What is Cole on about?”

“My love,” he said, kneeling to the floor near her side, “I have something to tell you, something wonderful...”


End file.
